Australian Beer and Pubs (2)

Originally beer drinking was promoted in Australia as a way of reducing the level of drunkenness induced

by rum consumption. And, obviously if you have beer, you need a pub and in 1796 Australia’s first legal pub,

the Masons Arms, was built by a James Larra, who was deported for stealing a tankard (obviously a real pub

lover). And Larra was French!

 

Old Australian pubs like The Hero of Waterloo in Sydney are similar to their British (often Scottish) ancestors.

But they developed some distinctive features as they proliferated in the 19^th century. In newly-colonised areas

such as the goldfields they were often the first structure to be built and acted as post-office, restaurant,

general store etc. They also offered accommodation which is why they are often called ‘hotels’. Hence, they

tend to be much bigger than British pubs.

 

In early colonial Australia, licensing laws were liberal but towards the end of the 19^th century,

conservative Christian temperance leagues lobbied for the restriction of alcohol sales. The First World

War gave a big boost to the ‘wowsers’. In February 1916 soldiers rioted and invaded local pubs, drinking

them dry and (really shocking) refusing to pay! As a result pubs had to shut at six o’ clock in most states.

As with so many ‘temporary’ measures (income tax is a good example) this became permanent.

 

As so often, the law had the opposite effect of its intent. Men would rush out of the workplace and

consume as much as possible between ‘knock-off’ time and closing-time. This ritual became known as

the “six o’ clock swill” and drunkenness was rife. Apart from being big, pubs built during this period have

enormous bar areas to allow easy access and are often tiled so they could be hosed down and cleaned

quickly. Also, sports and working men’s clubs were exempt and many bought alcohol from off-licences and

drank at home. Early closing had no significant effect on reducing alcohol consumption. And yet the law was

not changed for forty to fifty years (depending on the state)…

 

Possibly the most striking aspect of Australian pub culture was the strict sexual segregation. Up until the

1970’s women were not allowed to drink in the Public Bar and although there was usually a ‘Ladies Lounge’

women were only admitted if accompanied by men and often were not allowed to buy drinks. Feminists

challenged this and when refused service in the Hotel Manly in 1973 (they were told there were not enough

toilets for women!) chained themselves to the railing that ran round the bar. The negative publicity that

ensued meant that this convention disappeared within a few years. Ironically, pubs provided an important

source of income for many women. Being widowed or deserted was very common in 19th-century Australia

and pub-keeping provided jobs not only for widows and deserted wives, but also for many female ex-convicts.

 

Australians love to bet and gambling has been always been part of pub culture although this was illegal until

relatively recently. So, one thing you find in Australian pubs that you do not in Britain is a room full of coin

machines!

 

Despite their differences, like their British equivalents, Australian pubs are a place to meet friends, share

news and stories and, of course, eat and drink. Anyway, it is a very sunny evening here and I am off to the

Nelson Hotel for a few schooners…

Rob @BG

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Australian Beer and Pubs (1)

 

I have said that the British pub is a unique institution but Australian pubs (or hotels  as they are called) must

come a close second. Not surprising really as the reason Australians drink beer and go to the pub is that the

British colonised Australia and not the French.

 

The history of Australian beer goes back to Captain Cook, who took beer (4 tonnes!) with him on the

Endeavour in 1768 as a means of preserving drinking water. Barely a month later almost all of it was gone…

 

However, the drink of choice in the early days was rum or ‘grog’ and beer was promoted as a way of reducing

the horrific level of drunkenness in the colony.

 

James Squire cultivated hops at the turn of the century and was Australia’s first commercial brewer. It is

notable that his death saw the biggest funeral ever held in the colony! Beer consumption boomed and by

1850 beer was firmly established as Australia’s national drink. Most of the major breweries were founded

in this period: Cascade (Tasmania), Tooths (Sydney), Coopers (South Australia), Carlton (Melbourne),

Castlemaine (Queensland) and of course Fosters! This was despite the fact that Australia’s harsh climate

was not suited to brewing and much of the beer was ‘questionable’. Nonetheless, visitors to Australia

commented on the incredible quantity consumed from early morning to last thing at night…

 

 
The beer consumed at this time was basically English ale: heavy, sweet and top-fermented. It was not until

1885 that the first lager brewery (the Gambrinus Brewery) was opened. Foster’s Brewery opened soon after in

1887 and lager steadily gained in popularity. Australia was one of the first countries to adopt refrigeration on

a big scale and pubs were among the first businesses to use it to keep beer ice-cold and pilsener-style lager

is now almost totally dominant. In 1901 the Beer and Excise Act was passed which tightly regulated

production and sales of beer. Small breweries were either closed or taken over and the industry was

dominated by a few huge producers.

 

However, in recent years, smaller breweries have re-emerged. Little Creatures in Western Australia came

about in 2000 because of a desire to have a home-grown craft beer and a brewery that was an integral

part of the community. St Arnou in New South Wales was founded in 2001 with the aim of brewing quality

European-style beers. The microbrewery movement includes the Balmain Brewing Company which

re-opened the old Balmain Brewery and was launched by locals in 2010 “in honour of tradition, mates

and pub culture.” You can take the ferry to Manly and visit 4 Pines Brewery which produces hand-crafted

Kolsch, Pale Ale, Stout and others. And one of Australia’s oldest pubs (there are several that claim the title)

now brews their own range.

 

 

But if you have beer, you need pubs and that is where I am headed…

 

https://littlecreatures.com.au

http://www.st-arnou.com.au

http://www.balmainbrewingcompany.com.au

http://www.4pinesbeer.com.au

Rob @BG

 

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Fruity Beers

Fruit Beers?

 

“Fruit beer” might summon up an image of a sickly sweet drink for ‘the ladies’ or those who like to add

lime cordial to lager. In fact the history of fruit beer goes back centuries. Although the essential

ingredients of beer today are malted barley, yeast, hops and water, a mind-boggling range of ingredients

(herbs, spices, tree bark, seaweed, roots as well as fruit) have been used (long before the advent of hops).

Mixes of these ingredients, called gruit, were mainly used to provide flavour although in some cases they

also had some ‘stimulating’ effects and acted as preservatives.  Whilst fruit remains a popular ingredient

in some beers today, hops eventually replaced the use of gruit due to their widespread availability, ability

to make beer taste more consistent and superior preservative effect. Many brewing innovations were

invented in the monasteries. It may seem strange to us that devoutly religious men would brew and drink

beer but the monks were very canny.  Monks need to fast during certain times of the religious year. During

a fast one cannot eat food. Beer, on the other hand and being based on cereals, contains much the same

nutritional content as bread but it is not food, it is drink. Clever, eh? Using fruit in the brewing process

supplied additional flavours and fermentable sugars but could also then further contribute to the

nutritional content of beer!

 

Some Suggestions

 

Whereas flavoured beers represent 5% of the continental beer market, in the UK this figure is closer to

0.5% of the market. However interest is growing. Here are a few suggestions:

 

Wychwood
Ginger Beard 4.2% abv

Brewed in England, this is a traditionally crafted beer

infused with fiery root ginger to deliver a refreshing spicy

finish. Malty flavour with caramel and spices, flavours are

also lemony with floral ginger notes.

 

400ml £1.75 from Ocado.

 

Belhaven Fruit Beer 4.6% abv

This is a creamy and fruity flavoured beer made in Scotland

using Scottish fruits such as raspberries and apples. Belhaven

Fruit Beer is fruity without being too sweet, with just a little

bitterness to keep it all in check.

 

500ml £1.95 from Asda.

 

Lindemans Apple 3.5% abv

Brewed in Belgium, Lindemans Apple Lambic beer has a

clean, bright aroma and the flavour of real apples melds

beautifully with the complex tartness of lambic. Lambic is

only produced in Belgium and is the name given to wheat

beers fermented with wild yeast. Smooth, light body and

a green-apple tartness.

 

275ml £1.95 from Beers of Europe.

 

Liefmans Fruitesse 4.2 % abv

This fresh tasting effervescent beer blend from Belgium

matures for 18 months on cherries in the Liefmans cellars

in Oudenaard and is then combined with the natural juices

of strawberry, raspberry, cherry, blueberry and juniper berry.

Liefmans Fruitesse is a generously sweet and refreshingly

fruity beer of celebration.

 

330ml £1.79 from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose.

 

Meantime Raspberry Wheat Beer 5.0% abv

This is based on a pale, lightly hopped wheat beer brewed

with malted barley and malted wheat with fresh raspberry

puree added during maturation. Hazy vibrant red colour

and a white head, this is balanced between sweet and sour

fruit and is refreshing with a zesty finish. Try it with chocolate

based sweets, soft cheeses or curries.

 

330ml £1.79 from Waitrose.

 

Van Diest Früli Strawberry Beer 4.1% abv

This is a Belgian fruit beer, produced at a craft brewery

near Ghent. It is a blend of white beer and fresh strawberry

juice. Strawberry dominates the opaque colour, the aroma

and the flavour. It is sweet but not cloying and the finish is dry.

Unique!

 

250ml £1.61 from Tesco.

 

Rob @BG

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French Beers for Bastille Day

What is Bastille Day (14th of July)?

Bastille Day is to France what Independence Day (4^thJuly) is to the U.S.A. and the two are closely linked. Here is a simplistic potted history… In 1789 France found itself with a huge national debt (nope, our current crisis is nothing new!). Apart from trying to invade Britain, the French had intervened in the American War of Independence which, of course, was over tax. You would have thought that they might have learned something… But the French tax system was even worse. The poor were subjected to a heavy burden whilst there were exemptions for the nobility and clergy. When it was proposed by the Finance Minister (Jacques Necker) that these exemptions should be lifted, the answer was ‘non’.

So, when a group of French citizens who turned up for a meeting to sort out the tax problem found themselves locked out (the place was being re-decorated) they were not impressed. It was raining heavily and so they convened in the nearest dry place which was an indoor tennis court. They then signed an oath in opposition to the King (Louis XVI) and the agreement became known as the Tennis Court Oath. It is curious to think that if the weather had been good they may have hung around and sorted things out amicably and the French Revolution might never have happened…

Louis XVI then sacked Necker, who was very popular with the people, and this triggered the storming of the Bastille, a fortress-prison in Paris. In addition to holding large amounts of weapons and gunpowder, political prisoners were held there and the Bastille was seen as a symbol of royal tyranny. However, it should be noted that at the time that there were only seven old men held there: four forgers, two “lunatics” and one “deviant” aristocrat (not the Marquis de Sade by the way: he had been transferred out ten days earlier).

And so the French Revolution kicked off and lots of heads rolled thanks to a certain Doctor Joseph-Ignace Guillotin. This event is now celebrated all over France with parades, food, wine and beer.

So I will be trying a few French beers especially as I got back from a trip to Alsace a few weeks ago.

 

French Beer Scene

 

 

Before industrialisation, most beer was brewed in small rural breweries, which catered to the needs of the local residents. As the rural population declined, these breweries almost disappeared and along with them the tradition and diversity of the regional beers. Also, the two World Wars hit the French countryside very hard and currently the major breweries control over 90% of the market. However, as elsewhere, there has been a resurgence in interest in beer varieties and many new breweries, particularly microbreweries, have appeared.

 

Some Suggestions

 

Kronenbourg 1664 5.0% abv

I used to drink this one a fair bit at one of my local pubs and it is widely available. From bottle or can it pours a clear light straw colour with a thick white head. The aroma is mainly floral hops and mild grain. The malt taste is well balanced by delicate hop bitterness and dryness on the finish. Not overly complex but very nice!

- widely available

 

Kasteel Cru 5.2% abv

Had to include this one as it uses champagne yeast! Kasteel Cru is extremely light and refreshing. The yeast does give it a champagne aroma. The colour is pale straw with lively carbonation that is cleansing and champagne-like. It is a very delicate beer with very little hops and a dry, sweet finish. Goes well with a variety of food.

330ml £1.89  http://www.beersofeurope.co.uk

 

Jenlain Ambrée 7.5% abv

Pours crystal clear copper with a fluffy ivory head. The aroma is sweet and malty with earthy yeast. Smooth and medium-bodied, the flavour is rich and malty, with spices and ripe dark fruits, and a woody/oak flavour as well. This is a good one to sip after dinner.

750ml £5.99  http://www.beersofeurope.co.uk

 

 

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American Beers

 

What is the big fuss over the 4^th of July?

 

Well, having gone over to America and colonised the place, the British kept trying

to make the colonists pay higher taxes. This led to various incidents such as the

Boston Tea Party. By 1776, they had had enough and a committee got Thomas

Jefferson to write a formal document that would inform Great Britain that they

were going to become an independent nation. This was officially adopted on

July 4, 1776.

 

The American War of Independence went on until 1782 and the British finally

gave up all claims in 1783. The Americans must have been well-chuffed! After

all no more taxes! Sadly only six years later Benjamin Franklin gloomily

reflected that nothing was certain in life except for death and taxes…

Fortunately these days we can celebrate the 4^th of July with our American

cousins with some tasty American beers.

 

American Beer Scene

 

I actually went round the U.S.A. in the summer in 1976 when the Americans

were celebrating their Bicentennial with characteristic enthusiasm and

efficiency. It was a wonderful trip and I was treated with typical hospitality

and generosity. It was rare that I had to buy my own beer for long! But at

this point the beer industry was dominated by only 40 breweries serving

the entire nation of 240 million people with very similar beers.

 

The backlash started in the 1960’s when Fritz Maytag bought the Anchor

Brewery and revived Anchor Steam beer. And in 1976 Jack McAuliffe set

up the New Albion Brewery, the first microbrewery since Prohibition.

The legalisation of home-brewing in 1978 gave the green light to

enthusiastic beer entrepreneurs and the USA beer industry started to

grow and is now consideredto be in extremely good health with more

than 1,500 craft breweries at the last count.

 

And the American brewers seem to have chucked out the rule book by

experimenting with hops from all over the world, cereals such as wheat,

rice, rye, oats, sorghum and maize and coming up with wheat beers,

vanilla stouts and smoke-flavoured beers…

 

My local pub is having an American beer festival but if you are not lucky

as me here are some suggestions that are readily available.

 

Some Suggestions

 

Anchor Steam Beer 4.8% abv

A classic of American brewing since 1896, this comes from San Francisco

and is an amber copper colour with a nice creamy head. The nose is very

malty. The flavour is of caramel sweetness, mild bitterness, hint of citrus

and earthiness with a very creamy mouthfeel. The finish is very smooth

with a balance of bitterness and sweetness.

 

Goose Island Nut Brown Ale 5.3% abv

From the Chicago brewery, this is brewed in the English tradition and

combines domestic and imported malts to produce a deep brown ale

with a light head and a sweet nutty aroma. It tastes of sweet malts with

a hint of toffee and chocolate. The hops are refreshing in the finish with

a slight tea leaf taste.

 

 

Brooklyn Summer Ale 4.5% abv

From the New York brewery this is a brilliant yellow golden colour

with a nice creamy white head. The aroma is of clean malts and hops

with some citrus. Light and well-carbonated, the taste is really fresh

with floral hops perfectly balanced with some clean malts.

A very drinkable and refreshing summer beer.

Rob @ BG

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